Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-02-25
WAS HE MURDERED?
MYSTERIOUS CASE NOW BEING NyESTl-
GATEDlN THISClT
A New York Gentleman Alarmed al the Sud-
den DISAPPEARANCE Of His
Brother.

MI. c. V. Byrnes, of Wellsville, New
York, is at the Mcclure House, the purpose
of his visit here beingto communicate with
the authorities relative to the disappear
ance of his brother, a former employe ofthe
Natural Gas Company of West Virginia.
The missing man, Mr.. James Byrnes, was
employed by the gas company during the
autumn months of last year, but late on
the night of November 26th he disap-
peaSed from sight, and from that day to
this his relatives and friends have secured
no clue of his whereabouts. On the night
above named Mr.. Byrnes, who is supposed
to have had $50 or SIS in his pcs essiOn,
visited a South Side saloon, at a late hour,
where he met two or three well known
toughs. The party drank a good deal, and
while Byrnes was somewhat befuddled
with beer one of the toughs attempted to
touch him for his watch. The proprietor
of the saloon saw the act, and promptly
bounced the would-be thief, and the whole
party seems to have soon followed him
outside, where they reunited. About
twelve O'Clock on the same night there was
a quarrel between the men in front OF a
house of ill-fame, but people who raised
the windows and looked out at the racket
say no blows were struck. Finally Byrnes
separated from his companions and went
down a South Side cross street towards
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad tracks and
the river, since when he has not been seen
nor heard of.
The failure Of Byrnes to re-
mort for work the next day,
was thoughts very strange occurrence by
those with whom he labOred, but no espe-
cial fears seem 10 have been aroused at that
time, and the disappearance wa soon for
gotten, to be revived by the enquiries Of
SIR. c. V. Byrnes, who, becoming uneasy
at the prolonged interval during which
letters failed to arrive from his brother,
came on to look him up.
The police were communicated with We'd
ntslay by Mr.. Byrnes, and a description OF
the missing mar left at headquarters. He
was 20 years of age, D feet 10 inches IN
height, and weighed about 10 pounds.
He was of light complexion, dark brown
hair and small brown moustache, and was
attired in 4 black suit. There was a scar
on top of his head, and he walked with a
slight limp, his right ankle having been
broken some years ago.
Yesterday morning Prosecuting Attor-
ney Jordan, Officer Junkins and Mr.. c. v.
Byrues, paid a visit to the South Side and
talked to the people who were supposed to
know something of the whereabouts of the
missing man on the night of November
Goth. The officials obtained a good deal
of valuable information bearing upon the
matter, but not enough to fully Justify
the suspicion of murder, but at the same
time, from all the circumstances in the pos
session of the authorities, and which can
not be alluded to here, there are grave sus-
PIGEONS of toul play, and some interesting
developments may occur shortly. 1t Is
claimed that at the time of Byrne's disap-
pearance he had a considerable amount of
money to his credit on the books of the
gas company, which money has never been
drawn, and the further assertion is made
that one of the men who had the row with
Byrnes on the night he was last seen LETT
town within the next day OF two, and has
not since turned up.